From Global to Local: A More Prosperous World?

Global trade and supply chains have dominated the world economy for decades, boosted by neoliberal policies that prized efficiency over resilience to disruption, but the pandemic exposed their fragility. Shortages of essential goods, from semiconductor chips to foodstuffs, were felt around the world, and the lack of critical medical equipment—such as personal protective items like masks and gloves —hampered public health efforts in many countries.

In response, national economies are beginning to shift focus from global to local, with regional and domestic businesses in ascendance. Is this trend here to stay, and will it make the world economy stronger? In her forthcoming book, Homecoming: The Path to Prosperity in a Post-Global World, acclaimed journalist Rana Foroohar makes the case that this move toward localization is the future. She argues that economic globalization has run its course and that the coming decades will see operations, investment, and wealth kept much closer to home.

Join Perry World House for a conversation with Foroohar and the Wharton School Dean, Erika H. James, on this critical development in the global economy, part of our 2022 Global Order Colloquium, “A Fracturing World: The Future of Globalization.”

This will be a hybrid event, with virtual access provided via Zoom – details of how to take part, either virtually or in-person, will be found in your order confirmation email.

SPEAKER

Rana Foroohar is global business columnist and an associate editor at the Financial Times. She is also CNN’s global economic analyst. She is the author of the upcoming book, Homecoming: The Path to Prosperity in a Post-Global World, the, which will be published this fall.
In 2019, Foroohar was awarded a SABEW Award for her tech and policy coverage at the Financial Times. Prior to joining the FT and CNN, Foroohar spent 6 years at TIME as an assistant managing editor and economic columnist. She previously spent 13 years at Newsweek, as an economic and foreign affairs editor and a foreign correspondent covering Europe and the Middle East. Her first book, Makers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business, about why capital markets no longer support business, was shortlisted for the Financial Times McKinsey Book of the Year award in 2016. Her second book, Don’t Be Evil: How Big Tech Betrayed Its Founding Principles And All of Us, was the Porchlight Business Book of the Year for 2019.

MODERATOR

Erika H. James became the dean of the Wharton School on July 1, 2020. Trained as an organizational psychologist, Dean James is a leading expert on crisis leadership, workplace diversity and management strategy. Prior to her appointment at Wharton, Dean James was the John H. Harland Dean at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School from 2014 to 2020. An award-winning educator, accomplished consultant and researcher, she is the first woman and first person of color to be appointed dean in Wharton’s 141-year history. As such she has paved the way for women in leadership both in education and corporate America. Dean James has been instrumental in developing groundbreaking executive education programs, including the Women’s Leadership program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School. Dean James serves on the boards of Morgan Stanley, SurveyMonkey, and The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc. She is the co-author of the forthcoming book The Prepared Leader: Emerge from Any Crisis More Resilient Than Before (Wharton School Press; September 20, 2022) with Lynn Perry Wooten, President of Simmons University.

COVID-19 GUIDELINES

Perry World House is continuing to follow the University of Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 guidelines. In-person access to our events is open to the Penn community as well as the general public. Our hybrid events are available to all virtually. In keeping with the University’s latest update on COVID-19 protocols, masks are optional for all visitors to Perry World House. PennOpen Pass and PennOpen Campus screenings are no longer required for entry to our events.

We will continue to provide virtual access to all events planned with hybrid programming. Zoom details will be available in your order confirmation email.

Please note that our current arrangements are subject to change as guidelines evolve, and other restrictions may be put in place. We will share an email ahead of each event with the latest information on how to take part. If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]. If you are not already on our mailing list for news and updates, you can sign up here.